*** Welcome to piglix ***

Sky High (2003 film)

Sky High
Sky High (2003 film - movie poster).jpg
Directed by Ryuhei Kitamura
Written by Tsutomu Takahashi (manga)
Isao Kiriyama (screenplay)
Starring Yumiko Shaku
Takao Osawa
Shosuke Tanihara
Eihi Shiina
Kanae Uotani
Music by Nobuhiko Morino
Distributed by Amuse inc
Release date
November 8, 2003 (2003-11-08)
Running time
122 minutes
Country Japan
Language Japanese

Sky High (also known as Skyhigh) is a supernatural action film from director Ryuhei Kitamura. It is based on the manga of the same title by Tsutomu Takahashi and serves as a prequel to a Japanese television drama of the same name, and starring the same actress, Yumiko Shaku. Although the film is a prequel to the series, the film was made while the series was still in production, sometime between the first and second seasons. The film had a clear effect on the direction of the second season, as evidenced in the look and style of Mina/Izuko's second season costuming—more similar to the darker, edgier look she sports in the film, as opposed to the softer, colourful, kimono-like outfit of the first season. The film reveals how the somewhat meek Mina became the heroic Izuko, as seen in the series (and the film’s action climax).

A serial-murderer is on the loose who just so happens to also be removing the hearts of his victims and taking them with him. His victims however, are not merely random humans as thought by the police. They are in fact, the past and present guardians of the gateway of the afterlife.

On the day he is to be married, Detective Kanzaki, who happens to be on the case, discovers that his fiancé Mina has been murdered with her heart also missing. He also learns that the killers are Kudo, a geneticist, and his evil secretary Rei. The two are trying to obtain six hearts from the guardians so that they may call forth a horde of demons from the Gate of Rage and have their every desire granted. Only problem is, once they open the gate the entire world will be covered in darkness.

Meanwhile, in the afterlife, Mina encounters Izuko, the Guardian of the Gate. Izuko gives her three options: Mina can choose to ascend to heaven and be reborn, she can choose to forever walk the earth as a ghost or she can choose to curse one of the living to death and as a result be cursed to descend to hell. Mina has 12 days to make her choice.


...
Wikipedia

...